Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

After everyone left, Liu Yuheng and Liu Erhe returned to the east wing together.

Wang Xiuhe was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) wiping Liu Yixuan's hands. The little guy had just grabbed a piece of pastry and eaten it, leaving crumbs all over his hands, even his sleeves. Liang Fangfang was clearing away the dishes, Liu Tingting was looking at the comic book Liu Yuheng had bought for her, and Liu Shuanzhu was sitting in a chair with a teacup, chatting casually with Liang Cheng.

Wang Xiuhe looked up at Liu Yuheng and asked, "What was going on outside? It was so noisy, I could hear it all from inside. Who was arguing?"

Liu Erhe sat down next to Liu Yuheng and picked up the conversation: "It's nothing serious. Sha Zhu and Xu Damao got into a fight again, chasing each other all over the yard, but Big Brother stopped them. Later, Jia Zhangshi came out again to introduce Big Brother to someone..."

"Introduce someone?" Wang Xiuhe paused, holding the handkerchief, and looked up. "Introduce whom?"

"Qin Huairu's younger sister," Liu Erhe said.

Wang Xiuhe's eyes widened instantly, and her voice rose several decibels: "What? Qin Huairu's sister? How dare she say such a thing!"

Liu Yuheng sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), smiled and shook his head: "Mother, I've already refused, I didn't agree."

"That's the right thing to do! Although I'm eager for you to get married, I can't just bring just anyone into the family! Does everyone know what Jia Zhangshi is up to? If we really become relatives with her family, who knows what kind of chaos will ensue in this courtyard. I don't want to be related to Jia Zhangshi by marriage!"

Liu Yuheng couldn't help but laugh when he saw Wang Xiuhe's sullen expression. He hadn't expected that Jia Zhangshi had such a "prestige" among Wang Xiuhe, that she could react so strongly to just a few words.

He leaned closer to the cabinet on the kang (heated brick bed) and asked with a hint of curiosity, "Mother, what exactly did Aunt Jia do to bother you so much?"

As soon as the question was asked, everyone else in the room turned their attention to Wang Xiuhe.

Wang Xiuhe glanced at everyone, patted the water off her hands, and sat up straight on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed): "Since you're all here, I'll tell you. Fangfang and I have discussed this matter several times, but we've never told anyone else. Now that it's been brought up, I'll let you all know."

"That Jia Zhangshi, even though her family is struggling financially, she still secretly goes out to eat by herself! Fangfang and I have caught her doing it more than once or twice. Last month, Fangfang and I went to Qianmen to buy cloth, and we passed by a small restaurant. Through the window, we saw Jia Zhangshi sitting alone inside, eating with her mouth full of oil. That one meal she ate was worth several days' worth of our family's groceries."

Liang Fangfang nodded in agreement, confirming Wang Xiuhe's words: "I saw it too. Another time, at that noodle shop on East Street, she ordered a big bowl of noodles with soybean paste and added a poached egg."

Wang Xiuhe continued, "It's fine for her to eat out and treat herself; everyone has cravings sometimes. But when she got home from eating out, she didn't have enough money for food, so she asked Qin Huairu to borrow money from Yi Zhonghai's wife. She said things like, 'An apprentice is like half a son; it's only right that Master Yi lends them money!'"

Liu Yuheng frowned slightly.

"You mean someone like that?" Wang Xiuhe shook her head. "If I became relatives with her family, what would happen? Once you're involved with someone like that, you can't get rid of them. I don't want to be related to someone like that!"

After listening, Liu Yuheng nodded inwardly. His mother saw things clearly and made sense. Jia Zhangshi was the typical kind of person who "takes an inch and then a mile, and once she's taken advantage of you, she'll think she's all your money."

If he really marries the Qin family's daughter, then Jia Zhangshi will become his relative. Every few days she'll come to borrow money, ask for favors, and pull strings. Should he help her or not? If he helps, it'll be a bottomless pit; if he doesn't, Jia Zhangshi can cry poverty in front of everyone in the courtyard and accuse him of being ungrateful. Just thinking about it gives him a headache.

"Mother, don't worry. I've already made it clear that no one will bring this up again."

Wang Xiuhe breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the towel again, and wiped away the last bit of heartache from Liu Yixuan's heart: "That's good. Although I'm anxious about you finding a partner, I can't just bring just anyone home. You have to find a girl from a respectable family, someone with good character, who understands reason, and can live a stable life with you. You can't just look at her face, and you certainly can't just look at how sweet her words are."

Liu Yuheng was both amused and exasperated by his mother's words, but he also felt that everything she said made sense. He smiled and nodded, "Mother, I understand."

The family chatted for a while longer, and before they knew it, evening had fallen. It was completely dark outside, and warm yellow light shone from the windows of each house in the courtyard. A few sporadic firecrackers occasionally echoed in the distance. Liang Cheng glanced at the sky outside the window, then at the clock on the table, stood up, and said to Liu Shuanzhu, "Father-in-law, it's getting late; we should head back."

His wife also stood up and straightened her clothes.

Liu Shuanzhu stood up and urged him to stay a little longer: "Sit a little longer, it's not like you've come all this way, there's no rush to leave."

Liang Cheng waved his hand: "No, no, we have to get up early tomorrow. Erhe, Fangfang, you don't need to see us off either, we can walk back, it's not far."

Liu Yuheng also stood up and put on his military jacket: "Master Liang, I'll give you a ride. I should be heading back anyway, it's on my way."

Liang Cheng quickly waved his hand, his face showing a hint of fear: "Oh dear, Liu... Yuheng, how could I accept this? We can walk back ourselves, no need to see us off."

"It's settled then. It's getting dark, and the road is difficult to travel. I'll take you there before heading back."

Liu Tingting jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed), grabbed her coat, and started to put it on: "Me too! Me too!"

Liu Yuheng reached out and pressed her shoulder, pulling her back onto the edge of the kang (heated brick bed): "You shouldn't go. I have something to do tomorrow, I need to go out."

Liu Tingting pouted, somewhat reluctantly: "What is it? It's the first day of the Lunar New Year..."

"I'm going to pay my respects to a few former leaders," Liu Yuheng said. "They're all my old superiors. I'm going back to Nanjing after the New Year, so I need to visit them before I leave."

Although Liu Tingting was a little unhappy, she obediently sat back down and said, "Then come back soon."

Liu Yuheng patted her head but didn't answer. He turned to Liu Shuanzhu and Wang Xiuhe and said, "Father, Mother, I'm going back to Jinling early the day after tomorrow."

Wang Xiuhe paused, her hands holding the bowl and chopsticks hanging in mid-air: "Leaving the day after tomorrow? So soon?"

"I still have to be on duty at the military base. The political commissar and the others didn't go home for the Spring Festival. I spent the Spring Festival at home myself, so it's time for me to go and relieve them." Liu Yuheng's tone softened a bit. "Once things are settled over there, I'll be officially transferred back. Then I won't have to keep running back and forth."

Wang Xiuhe opened her mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back. She turned and walked towards the kitchen: "Wait a moment, Mom will pack some things for you to take with you. Cured meat, pickled vegetables, and that jar of fried sauce, take them with you, you can eat them in the army."

Liu Yuheng quickly took a few steps to stop her, and put his hand on Wang Xiuhe's shoulder: "Mother, no need. The army has everything. I eat in the mess hall and don't cook for myself. Bringing it would be a waste. You keep it for yourself."

Wang Xiuhe insisted, but Liu Yuheng added, "Once I'm transferred back, I'll eat your cooking at home every day. Just don't find me annoying then."

Wang Xiuhe laughed at his words and stopped insisting: "Alright, alright, then be careful on your journey. Send a letter home when you get to Jinling."

"I understand," Liu Yuheng said, then turned to Liu Shuanzhu, "Dad, you two stay home and take care. If anything happens, write to me, or we can talk when I get back."

Liu Shuanzhu nodded without saying anything more. He was never a talkative person, but the necessary instructions were conveyed in his eyes.